My experience as a writer. MWP. (2nd version)

The answer you didn't want to receive

Year: 2011 - Place: Presbyteria hospital (NYC) - Room: 911 - Patient: Mr. IMF - Illness: Mad dictator - Time of visit: 9:00 - 12:00

- It's almost noon and you want me to speak about my writing experience? Yes? Well I’ll start from the very beginning:

- I was a creative little child, until I had to go to school, did you know that? My imaginative potential was overshadowed by the long lists of letters I was forced to repeat in my “Power Rangers” notebook. I still remember that notebook, I am sure I knew more about the American culture watching this T.V. series than about my own living in Colombia, but that’s common we are an American colony. As you can infer I didn't have a nice relationship with writing; for me it was a boring and a tedious process which did not make sense. My teacher and my parents always wanted me to have a perfect calligraphy; they were focused on drawing each letter, but not on making a letter to mean.

- Some years later, in high school, things hadn’t changed much. Sometimes there were classes where we had long writing exercises that I would not complete. Hence, do you think the only times were when I was completing homework assignments? Well? If you answer yes, you are right, congratulations! I used to complete homework, to satisfy my poor teachers' objectives, and, most importantly, to get the highest grade (E) instead of the lowest one (D). Except from that I didn't any other reason to write. I think this answer satisfies you, right?

- The torture ended when I was 15 -- I finished high school! At that time I had to present the “ICFES”, don’t you know what is it? Well Mr. IMF, do you remember you ask countries like mine for educational data reports to lend them money? Yes? So, in Colombia we have to present the “ICFES”, an exam that evaluates “all the knowledge” we “learnt” when we finished high school. If students don’t get a good grade, it’s sure they won’t be admitted at public universities, and they will have to pay a lot of money to reach a university level. Therefore, all our educational system is centered on this exam. The “ICFES” doesn’t evaluate writing competences, so our education in school is not intended to create good writers. I am not justifying myself, but due to these policies, when I was 15, I couldn’t be catalogued as a writer.

Our "hard worker" and capitalistic society made start working as an accountant’s assistant. And of course my mental output at that time was not that different from what a calculator does. Are you enjoying this? I don't like your laughter so we better move on... A year later I was admitted for the Foreign Language Program at Univalle. I was not worried about the "capuchos", the "FARC", the "metaleros"... or for all those things you wanted me fear from this university. Rather, I feared writing. I thought I would have to write long boring essays that I would not actually write, and the result would be a “bajo” instead of a degree.

Three years after enrolling in Univalle, how am I still alive here? Please don't take into account the two facts that almost killed me: the first one being, the "excellent" medical care of the "public" hospitals in Colombia. Yeah sure, they "saved" my life from a heart-attack yesterday! And the second one being, the Police Car that crashed into me without hurting my body... thanks God! I am not still a “Falso positive”. Hence, do you now understand how I’ve made it this far in university? It's very simple. … Not yet? ... How much time do you need? ... Ok, I’m getting frustrated, I’ll whisper you the answer:

- In my first university class I was asked to write whatever I wanted; are you surprised? It didn’t make sense to me as it does not for you! In that moment I was wondering: how can I write something without somebody else’s direction? I don't remember what I wrote that day, but I am sure it wasn’t an "educative" Disney tale or a new Power Rangers episode. The only thing I know is that from that day on my mind found a way to escape from the confines of my head. Finally writing made sense.

- Today I can tell you that this bad experience had a nice ending. Writing is not as bad as you wanted me to think, it's a way to express myself, my thoughts and my feelings. Although everything it is not that sweet all the time. I still have to write things I don't find to be useful just so I can receive a grade and pass my classes. Fortunately, my own writing does not let me be another victim of this “writing for a grade” trade. I know you don't want me to say that, but My Words are born to change the world.

- Please Mr. IMF do not keep frustrating the powerful thoughts of the “third world” children around the world as you once did with mine. Even if you are trying to make our education the worst you can, now you are wasting your time, because we know your plans, and you are dying.